Adjusting device



an- 1954 H. M. CUNNINGHAM ADJUSTING DEVICE Filed Oct. 22 1949 in 22mm A'TTORNEY Patented Jan. 12, 1954 UNITED STATES PAT'ENT oFFrc'E' a scsasa A US :aii. mrsiuaewr: Hal-M. CunninghamgBranford, Conn assignor,

by decree of distribution," to: Helen M. Cunninghal ni and Jeanne Cunningham Application October. v,22, 1942,,ScijfialNo. 123,005

This inventionrelates iv more particularly to an adjusting device-capable of-providing extremely fine adjustments and/or very powerful adjusting movements:

The invention primarily consists in the pro vision of two screw threaded spindlesthe screw threads on one being of less pitch than those on the other but of the same hand; that is, both right hand, or both left hand, threads, and a sleeve-like member which is threaded internally td-receive one of the spindles at each ehdthereof. Such a device has many practical uses, four'of whichare shown in the accompanying drawings and described hereinafter.

One object of this inventionis-to provide an,

adjusting device whereby extremely fine adjustments may be made; and/or very powerful adjusting movements maybe obtained.

Another object is to provide" an adjusting device of the above naturewhereby-two members may be finely adjusted toward and/oraway from each other.

Another object is to provide an adjusting-device of the above nature capable 'ofvery ac curately indicating by delicate adjustmentof its parts the amount two surfaces are separatedfrom each other.

Still another object is to provide an adjusting device of the above nature capable of" producing very forceful pressure, or pull, upon one'member toseparate it from, or move it toward, anothermember.

A further object is to pr'ovidean adjusting de-- vice which will be relatively' inexpensive to mariufacture, simple in construction; of a minimum number of parts, compact; convenient and' prac tical in use, and very efficient and durable use With the above and other objects in viewgwhich will appear as the description proceeds,

there has been illustrated in the-accompanying drawings one form 1 of device in which: the =features and principles of this invention: may be conveniently and practically embodied.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional adjusting device embodying the features and principles of this invention; i 1

Figure 2, is a broken longitudinalsectional View to adj listing-devices and view of an inch separating movement between the members pitch of the threadson the spindle n 2 Claims. (Cl. 33-164).

Figure-5, isalong-i tudinal sectionalview of an adjusting device-embodying the features and principles of this invention;

Figure -6,--is' end view looking in the direction of arrow 6 in Figure 5;

Figure '7-, is asideview ofa modified form of part fdr" use with the" deviceshown in- Figure 5;

I' lgui e*BQ iS-a side view of a-modified form, similarto Figure l, partly in section;

Referring no'w to the drawings in -which like reference numeralsindicate like parts throughout the-several views, the reference numeral ll, seeFi-g-ure 1,- denotes a-screw-threaded spindlehavin'g-an end portion-"l2 threaded with right hand-'thread's.- The numeral 53 denotes a screwthreaded spindle having an end portion i threaded with rig-lit han-d thr'ea-d's. In accord ance with a feature-ofthis "invention the threads on one-spindle, l3-fare offiner pitch than the threads on thebth'er spindle, *H'. 1 A sleeve t5, internally threaded at it to receive the spindle H 'and'at lfl to r'eceive the-spindle liifhas the threaded' end'portions l2 and i fiscrewed-thereinto.' In -thi's'---instance; the outer unthreaded ends Hi-"of each 'spiiidleis in-the form of an'eye to rec'eive studs l-9*-"extending"one'from each of spaced-apart members 2I- and 22.

The adjusting device comprising 'the'spindles I l andl3jandthe sleeve 15, is used-to adjust the spacing between the members Zl'arid 22 by first rotating 'th'e spindles irithe sleeve until-the eyeends lt will'slip'overthe'studs i9: Fine adjust ment of such spacingis then obtained by rotating-the sleeve-1'5, the engagement ofthe eye ends pfiwith the studs lam-eventing the spindles iron-1 turning-L The difie'ren'cethreads on the spindles H and fineadjustm'ent of the space between the mem bers ZFand-fi; sired-fto increase the space, of say 2fG00'inches; between-the opposing surfacesof-themembers 2i and 2 2 to appro'iiimately 25603 inches and" the i is 32"per inc-h and the pitch of the threads on spindle i3 is 36 per inch, thesleeve i5 is turned one complete"revolutionresultin g in approximately :003

in pitch of the ZI and 2'2 Theniem'ters- 2 aand 22 may be drawn tOward'e'ach other in the same manner;

Another application of the above described principles of this invention is illustrated in Figure 8." In thisiin'stancethe spindles 2t and'zila are joined together-intermediate their ends prefer ably by a portion 291) hexagonal in cross-section and-thusada-pted to'be'turnedby'a wrench. The threads on one spindle are of smaller pitchthan l3 result in very For instance, should itbe'de those on the other. A sleeve 30 internally threaded to fit the threads on the spindle has a lug a adapted to be slipped over the stud H), see Figure 1. A sleeve 40 internally threaded to lit the threads on the spindle 20a has a lug 40a. adapted to he slipped over the stud 19, see Figure 1. Adjustment of the sleeves 30 and 40 on the respective spindles 20 and 20a are first made and the lugs slipped over the studs 19. Fine adjustment is then obtainable by turning the spindles in unison by means of a wrench, applied to the hexagonal portion 20b connecting the spindles 20 and 20a.

Still another application of the above described principles of this invention is illustrated in Figure 2. In this instance the spindles Ha and 13a are provided with ends 23 and 24, respectively, to engage the opposing surfaces of the members 25 and 22. Adjacent each spindle end 23 and 2d a knurled thumb and finger engaging collar 25 is provided whereby to turn the respective spindle. The sleeve I511 is formed from hexagonal stock whereby a wrench may be applied thereto to turn it. The threaded end of the spindle Ha has right hand threads of a desired pitch and the threaded end of the spindle l3a has right hand threads of a lesser pitch than that of the threads on spindle I la.

In this instance, a device, adapted to be slidably elongated is provided, a screw 26 being provided to hold the two parts together. Ends 2i and 28 of this device are provided with clamp means whereby they can be clamped to the spindle Ha and Ida, respectively, to prevent relative movement therebetween, In the clamping arrangement shown the clamping ends 27 and 28 are not threaded but are clamped directly upon the threads on the spindles Ha and i200 by means of clamp screws 29. Adjustment of the space between the members 2! and 22 is first obtained, more or less roughly by loosening the clamp screws 25 and then rotating the spindle I ia and/ or spindle 13a while holding the sleeve lea. The clamp screws 29 are then tightened and the sleeve We is turned while holding the spindles lid and i3a to obtain the desired fine adjustment.

The application of the features and principles of this invention are shown in Figures 3 and 4 embodied in a device to measure the spacing between spaced apart opposing surfaces 3! and 32. In this instance threaded spindles H b and i311 are used which have screw-threaded ends adapted to be screwed into opposite ends of an internally threaded sleeve I51). Each spindle has an outer end 33 for engagement with one of the opposing surfaces. To prevent relative movement between the spindles one of them, spindle Hb, has a groove 34 in its inner end to receive a tongue 35 extending from the inner end of the spindle 13b. Graduations 38 are etched on the periphery of one or both of the spindles H b and 13b and graduations 31 are etched on the inclined ends 38 of the sleeve I512.

The device illustrated is for measuring a hole, or space, 2 inches, in diameter, or width, thus the zero line at each end of the sleeve 15b on the spindles is marked 2.5. Graduations 36 above and below the line marked 2.5 will indicate the actual amount between the opposing surfaces 3i and 32 after adjustment of the outer ends 33 by turning the sleeve l5b simultaneously on the spindles Ill) and 1327.

In the application of the features and principles of this invention shown in Figures 5 and 6 one of the spindles comprises the threaded hub portion of a wheel 41 mounted upon a tapered shaft 42. The other spindle i [0 is in the form of a sleeve tightly threaded into a cap 43 having notches M in its periphery to receive the fingers of a spanner wrench (not shown). An internally threaded piece of hexagonal stock forms the sleeve IEO of this device. A stem 45, formed integral with the cap 43 extends from its inner surface through the spindle I I0 toward and into contact with the outer end 46 of the wheel shaft 42; By turning the cap 43 and with it the stem 45 to cause the spindle lie to enter the sleeve until the stem 45 is in tight engagement with the shaft end 46, and then holding the wheel 4| and the cap 43, and with the cap 43, the stem 45 and the spindle I I0, while turning the sleeve 150, will cause an exceedingly great pulling force to be applied to the wheel 4| through its threaded hub, or spindle [30, whereby the wheel 41 may be readily pulled from the shaft 42. By using 10 pitch threads on the spindle He and 10 pitch threads on the spindle (30 a pull force of approximately 100 tons can be applied. If desired the spindle He could be made integral with the cap 43 and have its inner end, or a nubbin 41, extended to engage the shaft end 46, see Figure '7.

While there have been shown and described herein several applications of the features and principles of this invention, it is to be understood that the said features and principles may be embodied in other specific devices without departing from the spirit and essential attributes of this invention, and it is therefore desired that the present shown applications be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus fully disclosed the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. In an adjusting device, a sleeve having open ends threaded internally, a spindle having a threaded end receivable in one end of said sleeve, another spindle having a threaded end receivable in the other end of said sleeve, the threads on one spindle being of differentpitch than the threads on the other spindle but of the same hand, the spindle ends within said sleeve being in opposed relation, one of said opposing spindle ends having a cross-slot therein, the other of said spindle ends having a tongue spaced inwardly from said sleeve and extensible into the crossslot of the first mentioned spindle end to prevent relative rotative movement of said spindles, and comparable indicia on one of said spindles and the adjacent end of said sleeve to indicate the amount of movement of said spindle when the sleeve is rotated thereon.

2. In a device such as described, a sleeve having open ends threaded internally, a spindle having a threaded end receivable in one end of said sleeve, another spindle having a thraded end receivable in the other end of said sleeve, the threads on one spindle being of different pitch than the threads on the other spindle but of the same hand, the spindle ends within said sleeve being in opposed relation, one of said opposing spindle ends having a cross slot therein, the other of said spindle ends having a tongue spaced inwardly from said sleeve and extensible into the cross slot of the first-mentioned spindle end spindles and the adjacent end of said sleeve to indicate the amount of movement of said spindle when the sleeve is rotated thereon, said indicia on the spindle comprising a series of graduations arranged longitudinally of the spindle, said indicia on the sleeve comprising a series of graduations arranged circumferentially of the sleeve.

HAL M. CUNNINGHAM.

Number Name Date Plowden Jan. 3, 1905 15 Number Number 6 Name Date Dina Nov. 7, 1905 Nilson Nov. 23, 1915 Spence, Jr Oct. 25, 1921 Achenbach Aug. 21, 1928 Coe Mar. 14, 1933 Kath Mar. 31, 1942 Camburn June 27, 1944 Grace Oct. 18, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain May 10, 1923 France Apr. 11, 1914 

